The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.
Grains including corn, milo, rice, soybeans, and wheat are harvested by a machine known as a combine harvester (or “combine”) which typically performs multiple parallel harvesting runs across a field. The combine cuts the stalks at the ground, and then separates the grain from the stalks. The grain is deposited in a storage area of the combine and the chaff is discharged back onto the field.
When the harvested grain in a combine reaches capacity, the combine is often in the middle of the field. A tractor pulls a grain buggy (or grain cart) alongside the combine and the harvested grain is loaded into the grain buggy via an unloading auger of the combine, whether the combine is stationary or continuously harvesting. In turn, the grain buggy transports the harvested grain to a waiting truck at the edge of the field.
During loading of the grain buggy from the combine, it is desirable that the grain buggy travel in combine tracks (called “tramlines”) made during a previous combine run to minimize soil compaction. However in practice as combine widths increase, the unloading auger of the combine cannot reach across the combine to unload grain into the grain buggy located in the combine tracks. Instead, the grain buggy must stray from the combine tracks to receive the grain which undesirably results in increased soil compaction.
Embodiments of the present invention enable the grain buggy to receive grain from the combine auger whilst remaining in the combine tracks.